Footwear



Febl 20, 1940.

R. T. DAwEs 2,190,864

FOOTWEAR Filed Nov. 23, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I7@ Weiz fm; jaert Taweks",

R. T. *DAwEs Feb; 20, 1940.

FOOTWEAR Filed Nov. 23, 193

7 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. T. DAWES Feb.. 20, 1940.

FO 0 TWEAR Filed Nov. 23, 1937 3 sheets-sheet 5 ffy/.17.

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Angst Patented Feb. 20, 1940 Tsar FUOTWEAR Robert T. I Dawes, Hudson, Mass.

Application November 23, 1937, Serial N0.`

Thisinvention pertains to the manufacture of footwear, .more especially to footwear in which elastic gores are incorporated, and pertains particularly to an improved elastic webbing or gering 5` material; to a method of making the same; and

to shoe gores made therefrom. i

Elastic gering such as is used in shoe manufacture customarily consists of textile yarns interwoven with rubber threads to form readily l extensible elastic webbing. This webbing is furnished to the shoe manufacturer in rolls of cone venient width and is cut, ordinarily by means of dies, to form. gering pieces of the desired shape and size. While ordinarily elastic gering lies l reasonably flat when unrolled, considerable difficulty is experienced in handling covered goring, that is to say, goring having a layer of leather, artificial leather or the like adhering to one side of the elastic textile web, Such covered goring, o by reason of the unlike character of its constituent layers, shows a strong 'tendency to curl, usually toward the back or uncovered face. Thus it is difficult to keep it spread out fiat enough to permit application of cuttingv dies, particularly g5 multiple dies designed tc out several gores at once, and when cut, the gores curl so tightly that they are difficult to mark preparatory to stitching, or to assemble with the other parts of the shoe upper. One `object ofthe present invention :io is to provide covered elastic gering which will lie substantially fiat while being cut and from which gores showing but slight, if any, tendency to curl after cutting may be made.

In making shoe uppers including elastic gore 3,3 pieces. whether covered or not, it is requisite,

preparatory to lasting, that the gore or gores be made temporarily inelastic, at least adjacent to i the top edge of the shoe upper, since otherwise the gore will stretch so much during lasting as .1,0 to preclude the proper conforming of the leather or other inelastic element of the upper to the surface of the last. To prevent such undesired stretching the gore, it is desirable to arrange a piece of substantial.1 inezrtensible tape or the ,4,5 `like at the inner side oi the gore adjacent to the upper edge at least of the latter, and to stitch the ends of this tape to the adjacent portions of the shoe upper at the same time that the gore is inserted, the tape remaining in position during 50 the lasting operation and then being cut away and removed after lasting so as to free the gore to stretch to its normal capacity.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved goring in which the noncurling char- 55 acteristic is attained in part at least by the use of an improved lasting tape readily removable after lasting. A further object isto provide gering comprisingV an improved lasting tape which may readily be so assembled with the goring as toprevent curling, but whicl'lis` easily removable from theshoe gore after the completion of the lasting operation. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made manifest inthe following more` detailed descrip,- tion and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing the appearance of the inner surface of one desirable form of the improved goring, and indicating how removal of the lasting tape may be initiated;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line 2 2. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View illustrating a roll of lasting tape useful in preparing the goring of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3cr is .afragmentary perspective view showing lasting tape of a modified construction;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the inside of a shoe upper comprising an elastic gore and showing the lasting tape as partly removed; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating lasting tape of modified form;

. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig.` 7 is a view similarto Fig.` l, illustrating a further modification;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale,won the line 8 8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating another modification; 35

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line lli-I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a still further modification;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line |2 I.2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating one of a pair of pieces of goring ready to be united in such a way as to provide a balanced fabric which will lie flat while being handled and While gores are being cut therefrom Fig. .14 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in perspective, showing two pieces of goring such as that of Fig. 13, assembledin `back-to-back relation one of the pieces being partially peeled away from the other;

Fig. 15 is a section substantially on the line l5 l5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a gore cut from the material of Fig. 14, showing the outer surface of the gore;

Fig. 17 is a plan View showing the inner surface of one of the gore members after being cut;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary elevation of a shoe upper viewed from the inside, and showing a gore such as that of Figs. 16 and 17 assembled with the other parts of the upper;

Fig. 19 is a view vsimilar to Fig. 14 but showing a slight modification;

Fig. 20 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modification; and

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line 2l--2I of Fig. 20.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l indicates a length of covered elastic goring such as is commonly employed in the manufacture of elastic shoe gores, such goring comprising textile webbing W consisting of yarns interwoven with each other and Vhaving associated with them` elastic warp threads ia. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the webbing has parallel selvages 2 and 3, although so far as the present invention is concerned it is not essential that the webbing have selvage'd edges. One side of the webbing is provided with a flexible and stretchable but inherently inelastic covering C of thin leather or the like which as shownembraces at least one of the selvages, for example the selvage 2 of the webbing.

In accordance with the present invention and to prepare such goring for use in making shoe gores itis proposed to apply substantially inextensible iiexible tapes ll and 4a to the back side of the goring adjacent to its opposite margins 2 and 3 respectively. These tapes, or narrow strips of woven textile fabric, are preferably provided on 'one side with permanently tacky adhesive 6. In accordance with a preferred construction, this adhesive does not extend over the entire surface of the tape, one margin 'l of the tape being left free of adhesive. The tape thus prepared may be furnished to the manufacturer of the goring in the form of a roll 5 Fig. 3) for convenience in handling, such roll preferably including a protective strip which may be of paraiiine paper or the like, disposed between adjacent turns of the coil to prevent the adhesive 6 of adjacent turns from-sticking the coils together. When the coil is unrolled, and before the tape is applied to the webbing, this protective strip 8 is stripped off, either by hand, or automatically if a machine be employed for applying the tape.

After the tape has been `applied to the gering as above described, the composite material thus formed may be furnished to a shoe manufacturer who cuts properly shaped gores G (Fig. 4i) from the goring, for example, by means of appropriately shaped dies. These gores are of such size and contour as to conform to the requirements of the particular pattern of shoe to be made.

` After the gore has thus been prepared,- it is assembled with the upper 9 (Fig. 4) of the shoe and is secured in position by one or more rows of stitching iii. This stitching extends through the material of the upper and through the goring,` andthe stitched seam'also yextends across the ends of the tapes 4 and 4a. During the lasting of the shoe these substantially inextensible tapes lland vieprevent the gore material from stretching unduly, in this way insuring a proper ten sioningof the shoe upper about the last. After the shoe has been lasted, the tapes i and le are severed along the lines il, l2 and I la, 12a, (Fig. 4) respectively, leaving the end portions of the tapes still attached to the upper by means of the seam li). Since each tape has a marginal portion 'l which is free of adhesive, this margin may be lifted readily from. the back face of the gore G, such lifting being performed by the fingers of the operator or preferably with the assistance of a suitable tool T. Such lifting of the margin permits the fingers or the tool readily to initiate the peeling of the adhesively coated portion of the tape from the gore, and thus facilitates* the rernoVal of those portions of the tape which lie between the incisions Il, l2; l!a and 12e, respectively, thus restoring to the goring its initial capacity to stretch.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a slight modification is indi cated, wherein the tapes lli and MH are indicated as being of braided material. Such braided material is to some extent preferable to woven fabric since when subjected to pressure, the more or less yielding braid adheres more uniformly and without tendency to develop wrinkles than does a strip of ordinary woven fabric. However, woven fabric may be employed if care be taken to apply it properly. y

In Figs. 7 and 8 a further modication is illustrated wherein. each of the tapes l5 and 15a is furnished with a bead cord il in one of its margins, thereby making such margin substantially thicker than the body of the tape. Such a tape may be caused to adhere, if desired, throughout its entire area to the goring l, and after the gores have been made and assembled with the shoe upper and the lasting operation has been performed, the removal of the tape from the gore is facilitated by the presence of this thicker edge formed by the bead cord, since a suitable tool may readily be inserted beneath the thicker edge thereby to initiate the peeling of the tape from the gore.

In the construction of Figs. 9 and 1), a somewhat similar effect is produced by folding one margin of each of the tapes i8 and 43a upon itself so as to form the thickened edge I9. If, in this instance, one side of the tape be completely covered with adhesive, such folding, whereby the edge of the tape is turned inwardly upon itself, leaves an uncoated margin at thethickened edge so that in this case the advantages of the uncoated margin and the thickened edge are both attained thereby greatly facilitating removal of the tape after lasting.

`In Figs. l1 and 12 further modifications are illustrated. In the construction shown in Fig. 11 the tapes 2 and 2f@ are shown as provided with a series of uncoated tabs` 2| and fla along one margin of each tape, such tabs facilitating removal of the tape after lasting. Fig. 20 illustrates another arrangement wherein the tapes 22 and 222L are provided with transverse lengths of cord 23 and 23a or the like, disposed at intervals, the ends of which are adapted to be grasped by the fingers or by pliers to assist in peeling the tape from off the gore f Referring to Figs. 13 to 19, certain further advantages of the invention are illustrated whereby the cutting and handling of gores from elastic goring is faciltated. As illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and l5 the elastic goring lm and lmr is of the type above referred to wherein one side of the webbing is covered with a relatively inelastic material C, such, for example, as thin leather. As above referred to, the tendency of such material when out up into gores is to curl toward the uncovered side of the goring. Such gores tend to curl tightly and are difficult to cut from the gor- `icult to assemble and. stitch in place.

Reverting to Figs. 13, 14 and 15, each of the lengths of goring im and In is shown as having the margins C1 and C2 respectively of its covering C'folded `down onto the back side, thus forming an extra thickness at the upper part of the goring material. Tapes 24 and 24a, generally similar to the tapesV l and 4a, for example, above described, are secured to thegoring im adjacent to `the upper and' lower margins of the latter by means of a permanently `tacky adhesive, and similartapes 25 and 25EL are secured to the goring in. l-Iowever, these tapes 24, 24a, 25 and 25a differ from those previouslyv `described in that they are adhesively coated on both faces. After the lengths of goring have been provided with the adhesive tapes, the two lengths of goring are laidl back-to-back,` as shown in Fig. 14, and pressed together, preferably with the upper and lower tapes in registry, thus providing a composite goring material as illustrated in section in Fig. l5. By thus arranging the lengths of material back-to-back and pressing them together. the tendencyof each length of material to curl neutralizes the similar tendency of the other and the resultant composite material lies substantially fiatl and may readily be handled in this condition.

A shoe manufacturer takes this composite material and by means of proper dies, for example, multiple dies, cuts from it gore pieces G of desiredsize and shape, suchfor example as shown in Figs; 16 and 17. While in these views the gores are of symmetrical contour, it is obvious that they may be of other shape, for example the shape shown in Fig; 4, one of the pieces out from the duplex material being a right gore and the `other a left gore. Itmay be noted that in thus cutting the duplex material, the two gores which are cut at each cutting operation remain stuck together and thus stay substantially at so that the subsequent operation of marking them for stitching is facilitated. The two gores are then separated and each one is assembled with the other parts of the shoe upper as shown for example in Fig. 18, the gore being secured to the upper by means of the seam I in the same way as above described. Since each gore piece is provided at its upper and lower part with a length of tape and since the tape adds somewhat to the stiffness of the material, the tendency` of the gore to curl is somewhat lessened and thus the assembly operation is made easier than when covered goring, unprovided with such a tape, is employed. After the shoe has been lasted the central part of the tape is cut away asabove described, thus restoring the elasticity tothe goring material.

When the tapes are to be used te facilitate lasting as just described, it is essential, in separating the two gore pieces after cutting, that each shall be provided with one of the pair of adhering registering tapes. To facilitate such a separation, `it may be desirable, as illustrated in Fig. 19, to interpose between the tapes 24 and 25, for example, a piece of strong, tough material, such as a narrow strip 2l of leather or a very narrow braid of textile material and then, when the gore members are to be separated, this narrow separating` strip 21 may be grasped, together with one of the tapes, thus assisting in separating the two tapes from each other leaving one tape adhering to each gore. Since it is band being left free of adhesive.

not necessary under al1. conditions that the gore piece bev provided with a `tape at both the upper and lower edges, the lower tape may be omitted on oneA of the. lengths Im of webbing, `as shown in Fig. 19, the tape,y 25a secured to the length Iu of webbing beingsufiicient toy hold the two lengths together duringl the cutting operation and being stripped off entirely from the opposite gore piece,

cut` from. the material lm, before the gores are` the margins 30 of the tape on each side of the is capable of sticking to the webbing and also of adhering tov an opposed tape attached to a second piece` of webbing, and after lasting provides two free margins which facilitate its removal from theA gore.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have been described it is to be understood that the invention is not` necessarily limited to` the specific details of materialsherein referred to; but is `broadly inclusive of such equivalents as faillwithin the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. Elastic goring of the. class described comprising, combination with an` elastic webbing, a substantially inextensible lasting tape temporariiy united by normally tacky adhesive to the inner surface of the goring with the tape spaced inwardly from the edge of the goring and extending. in the direction vof stretch, said tape having provision to facilitate peeling it off from the goring.

Elastic goring of the class described comprising, in combination with elastic webbing covered on one side, a substantially inextensible lasting tape temporarily united by normally tacky adhesive tothe inner surface of the goring and extending in the direction of stretch, said tape being wholly within the borders of the goring and having one of its margins at least free from adhesive, thereby providing a free flap to facilitate peeling the tape off from the goring.

B. Elastic goring of the class described comprising, in combination with an elastic webbing, a substantially inextensible lasting tape temporarily united by normally tacky adhesive to the inner surface of the goring and extending in the direction of stretch and being spaced inwardly from the edge of the goring, one at least of the margins of' the tape being thicker than the body of the tape, thereby to facilitate the insertion of a tool beneath said margin to initiate separation of the tape from the goring.

4i Elastic goring of` the class described comp-rising in combination with an elastic webbing,

substantially iii-extensible lasting tape temporarily united by normally tacky adhesive te the inner surface of the goring and extending in the .i L

direction of stretch and being wholly within the borders" of the` goring, one at least of the margirls of the tape being folded under and free from adhesive, thereby to provide a free flap to facilitate peeling the tape away from the goring.

5. Elastic goring of the class described comprising` elastic webbing covered on one side' and a substantially inextensible lasting tape extending in the direction of stretch of the goring at the inner surface of the latter and wholly within Such a tape the borders-of the goring, and a strip of normally tacky adhesive', less in width than the tape, temporarily uniting the latter to the goring while leaving one margin at least of the tape free.

6. Elastic goring` of the class described comprising, in combination with elastic webbing cov- 'ered on one side, a substantially inextensible lasting tape extending in the direction of stretch of the goring atthe uncovered side of the latter and wholly within the borders of the goring, said tape having a strip of normally tacky adhesive, less in width than the tape and disposed centrally ofthe width of the latter, said adhesive temporarily uniting the tape to the goring but leaving both margins of the tape free.

7. Duplex goring material comprising two lengths of elastic webbing, each covered on its front side and each normally tending to curl toward its uncovered side, said lengths of webbing being disposed back-to-back, a strip of substantially inextensible tape secured to the uncovered side of each length of webbing adjacent to each of vits margins, respectively, the tapes of onelength of webbing registering with those of the other, and adhesive temporarily uniting the registering tapes.

8. Duplex goring material comprising two lengths of elastic webbing, each covered on its iront side and each normally tending to curl toward its uncovered side, said lengths of webbing being disposed back-to-back, a strip of substantially inextensible but exible material removably secured to the uncovered side of each length of webbing adjacent to one margin at least of the latter, the tapes of the two lengths of material registering with each other, adhesive temporarily uniting the registering tapes, and a narrow separating strand interposed between the tapes to facilitate separating the tapes without loosening the tapes from their respective lengths of webbing.

9. Duplex goring material comprising two lengths of elastic webbing,'each covered on its front side and each normally tending to curl toward its uncovered side, saidlengths of webbing being disposed back-to-back, a ribbon-like strip of substantially inextensible but flexible material adhesively secured to the uncovered side of one length of webbing adjacent to each of itsy margins, respectively, and a similar strip adhesively secured to the uncovered side of the other length of webbing adjacent to one margin at least of the latter, the outer faces of the several strips having areas of permanently tacky adhesive, whereby the two lengths of webbing are temporarily united in back-to-back relation, so that the tendency of each length to curl neutralizes the similar tendency of the other length of webbing.

10. An elastic gore for use as a constituent element of a shoe upper, said gore comprising elastic webbing, a substantially inextensible lasting tape extending widthwise of the gore adjacent to the upper edge of thelatter and wholly within the borders of the gore, and a normally tacky adhesive temporarily uniting the tape to the gore, said tape having one margin at least devoid of adhesive to facilitate the removal of the tape from the gore after the shoe has been lasted.

l1. An elastic gore for use as a constituent element of a shoe upper, said gore comprising elastic webbing covered on one side with a relatively inelastic non-sticky material acceptable toconstitute the outer exposed surface of the gore in the completed shoe, and having a normal tendency to curl and readily removable means secured to the uncovered face of the gore operative to prevent curling ofthe gore. i

12. An elastic gore for use asa constituent element of a shoe upper, said gore comprising elastic webbing covered on one side with a relatively inelastic non-sticky material acceptable to constitute the outer exposed surface of the gore in the completed shoe, said gore having an inherent tendency to curl, and a tape adhesively united to but readily removable from the uncovered surface of the gore, thereby to oppose the tendency of the gore to curl.

13. That method of preparing shoe gores from covered elastic goring which comprises as steps, disposing two lengths of goring back-to-back so that their uncovered sides are in juxtaposition, temporarily uniting said lengths of goring when so disposed thereby to produce a balanced duplex normally flat structure, cutting through the duplex structure thereby simultaneously to produce a pair of gores, and thereafter separating said gores.

14. That method of preparing shoe gores from covered elastic goring which comprises as steps providing each of a p air of lengths of goring with a longitudinal band of adhesive upon its back or uncovered surface adjacent to its opposite edges, respectively, disposing said lengths of goring back-to-back with the adhesive bands of one in registry with those of the other, pressing the lengths of goring together, thereby to provide a duplex substantially flat structure in which the tendency of one length of goring to curl substantially neutralizes that of the other, cutting through the duplex structure, thereby simultaneously to form a pair of gores, and thereafter separating the gores of said pair.

15. That method of preparing shoe gores from covered elastic goring which comprises as steps, adhesively uniting a longitudinally extending tape to the rear side of each of a pair of lengths of covered goring adjacent to each margin of each length of goring, respectively, the exposed surface of each tape being adhesively coated,

arranging the two lengths of goring back-to-bacl:l

so that the coatings of the tapes temporarily unite the lengths of goring, thereby to form a substantially at duplex structure devoid of tendency to curl, cutting through the duplex material simultaneously to form a pair of gores, and thereafter separating the gores of the pair.

16. That method of preparing shoe gores from covered elastic goring which comprises as steps,`

adhesively uniting a length of tape to the uncovered side of each of a pair of lengths of covered goring adjacent to each margin of each such length of goring, respectively, the outer surface of each tape having thereon a permanently tacky adhesive, arranging the two lengths of goring back-to-baok with the tapes of one length of goring in registry with those of the other, interposing a narrow separating strand between the opposed tapes, pressing the lengths of goring together so that the tapes of one adhere to those of the other, cutting a duplex gore from the united goring, and then separating the gores from each other by the assistance of the separating strand, leaving each gore with a pair of transversely extending tape members.

ROBERT T. DAWES. 

